The effect of Chernobyl accident on the development of malignant diseases - situation after 20 years

Anna Zonenberg, Wiesław Zarzycki, Marcin Leoniak

Endokrynologia Polska 2006;57(3):244-252.

open access

Vol 57, No 3 (2006)

Review article

Published online: 2006-06-28

Submitted: 2013-02-15

Abstract

The accident that occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power
Plant in 1986, released large quantities of radionuclides
- among them radioiodine - into the atmosphere, thereby
raising public concerns about its influence on thyroid
structure and function, especially the development of malignancy.
There were even reports about 700 deaths due to
thyroid carcinoma in Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus,
resulting from the accident. In this review we discussed
the incidence of thyroid cancer in different parts of the
world, especially in heavily contaminated countries, as
Ukraine and Belarus, and the possible link between radioisotope
activity in the thyroid and the development of malignancy.
The study carried out in Minsk showed 40-fold increase of
the incidence of thyroid cancer in the years 1986-1994, in
comparison to the period 1977-1985. An increase of the incidence
of thyroid cancer has generally been observed in
many countries after the Chernobyl accident. We focused
on the factors that may have an influence on this phenomenon,
especially diagnostic tests, health care, social and
environmental factors, like iodine level in water and soil.
The results of molecular biology studies, e.g. RET translocation
in carcinoma type RET/PTC1 in elderly and RET/PTC3 in children, and expression Ax1 and Gas6 in children were
reviewed as well. We also mentioned other thyroid diseases,
like nodular goitre, cysts, the disturbance of thyroid
function and autoimmunity, possibly linked to the radiation
after Chernobyl accident. Data obtained from the regions
near Chernobyl showed no increased risk of other
types of malignancy (leukaemia, Hodgkin’s and non Hodgkin’s
lymphoma) in 1986-1996. In this article the epidemiology
of thyroid diseases in Poland was also reviewed.

Abstract

The accident that occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power
Plant in 1986, released large quantities of radionuclides
- among them radioiodine - into the atmosphere, thereby
raising public concerns about its influence on thyroid
structure and function, especially the development of malignancy.
There were even reports about 700 deaths due to
thyroid carcinoma in Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus,
resulting from the accident. In this review we discussed
the incidence of thyroid cancer in different parts of the
world, especially in heavily contaminated countries, as
Ukraine and Belarus, and the possible link between radioisotope
activity in the thyroid and the development of malignancy.
The study carried out in Minsk showed 40-fold increase of
the incidence of thyroid cancer in the years 1986-1994, in
comparison to the period 1977-1985. An increase of the incidence
of thyroid cancer has generally been observed in
many countries after the Chernobyl accident. We focused
on the factors that may have an influence on this phenomenon,
especially diagnostic tests, health care, social and
environmental factors, like iodine level in water and soil.
The results of molecular biology studies, e.g. RET translocation
in carcinoma type RET/PTC1 in elderly and RET/PTC3 in children, and expression Ax1 and Gas6 in children were
reviewed as well. We also mentioned other thyroid diseases,
like nodular goitre, cysts, the disturbance of thyroid
function and autoimmunity, possibly linked to the radiation
after Chernobyl accident. Data obtained from the regions
near Chernobyl showed no increased risk of other
types of malignancy (leukaemia, Hodgkin’s and non Hodgkin’s
lymphoma) in 1986-1996. In this article the epidemiology
of thyroid diseases in Poland was also reviewed.

Journal

Issue

Pages

Published online

Bibliographic record

Keywords

Chernobyl accident
malignant diseases
thyroid carcinoma
epidemiology

Authors

Anna Zonenberg
Wiesław Zarzycki
Marcin Leoniak

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